SotNF: The Mage
by WyvernRider3
Summary: Josh and Sophie Newman, normal teens, working in San Francisco during the summer of 2006, both of them in touch with technology, both of them friendly with the couple that owns the shop Josh works in, Nick and Perry Fleming. Little did they know that their lives would change forever when a friend of the Flemings arrives, a friend named Harry Potter, who lives in Mexico
1. Chapter 1

***San Francisco*2010***

Josh Newman sighed as his boss, Nick Fleming, ordered him to move around yet another stack of books around the bookstore that he, Nick, and his wife owned. He and his twin, Sophie Newman had been left behind by their parents, both of them archeologists, in the town of San Francisco, under the care of the family friend, aunt Agness.

Sophie Newman worked across the street from the shop, in a teashop that Perry Fleming favored, and the two Newman quite liked the Flemings, even though they did not understand the quirks of the elderly couple.

Who kept a metallic arm on display at the entryway of their home?

How he wished he had taken a more interesting summer job, a simple routine at a bookshop was not cutting it.

Wait.

Josh frowned.

Was that a motorbike engine? Why would anyone rev up their bike so much in the, one of few, flat street?

His answer came when a man, who was not wearing a full face helmet despite the bike that called for one. A Ducati Ninja if he was not mistaken, and heavily modified if the engine sound was anything to go by.

"Oi, Nick, Perry, you there? Why did you call me to come today?" the man looked not a day ast twenty five, but the way he felt said that he was older, "And I really hope you got some of your stew ready, I haven't eaten since before I crossed the border."

A Mexican? He knew that the Flemings had friends all over, they had traveled all around the globe during their fifty something years, but why call a foreigner when they could simply call one of their friends that lived in town if they needed help?

"Ah, Harry, I was not expecting you until next Easter, why did you come during the summer? I thought you and your family would go to the jungle," Josh watched as his boss and the motorbike man gave each other a one-armed hug, "But yes, Perry and I were making stew today."

"I got a mail from you saying that you needed my help, that you would have Cath here as well," The man, Harry, Josh corrected himself, explained, and the teen could not help but notice that the foreigner looked at him from the corner of his eye.

"I don't remember sending you anything," Nick frowned, "But it might just be my memory failing me, when you live as long as I have this happens every once in a while," There was an odd glint on both of their eyes, "Perry is across the street, so you haven't to say here until closing time."

"They have mango tea?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Josh gulped as the man turned to him, "They have all kinds, even the rare ones like orange cinnamon."

"Well if you say so," The man fished his wallet out of the leather pants, "If you're ever in Mexico, or if you need an internship, call me…" Harry left it hanging, holding a card in front of him.

"Josh Newman," the teen took the card, reading it quickly, "Isn't that near Central America?"

"Yes, but the extension will give you a free call, I only give it to people of interest, Nick has one" the older man nodded, knowing that the card called something else, "I'll give one of the pair to your sister."

Harry said nothing else, just walking out, waving his hand over the shoulder when the two others said their goodbyes.

Josh saw Nick narrow his eyes, afterwards looking towards the alcove that Josh was under no circumstance allowed into, shaking his head a second later.

Nicholas Flamel did not know that this would be the start of the last day of his peaceful life as Nick Fleming

***Across the street***

Sophie Newman considered herself a very normal teen, with the only thing of hers being that she had been put in the honor roll of every school she had been to, even the ones she lasted only a month in.

So when she was offered a job in a good part of San Francisco, in a tea shop across the street from where her brother had been asking for job, she took it without hesitation.

She had struck up a friendship with a the wife of the bookshop across the street, so whenever Perry came around she would usually sit with her and they would talk, since whenever she was there almost no other clients were there.

She was surprised, however, when a man dressed in leather pants, open jacket and tight shirt came to their table after looking around a bit, and she could not help but stare at him as he hugged Perry as if they had known each other for a long time.

"What are you doing here Harry? I thought that you would be on the other coast" Perry was happy to see him apparently, but Sophie could not figure out how the two had met each other, "Sophie, be a dear and bring Harry a mango tea, would you?

"How big is the biggest cup? Harry, if Sophie heard right, asked.

"Twelve ounces," the girl answered automatically.

"Speak metrical."

Sophie blinked, running quick math on her mind, "three hundred and fifty milliliters."

Harry smirked, "I gave the same thing to your brother, but I'll say it again, if you're ever in Mexico, give me a call, it's a direct number, so the only thing you have to pay is the distance," Sophie took the card that appeared from his sleeve, "And get me that cup of mango tea, four teaspoons of sugar please."

"Right away, sir, that'll be two dollars," She held out her hand and Harry gave her two bills, sitting down as she moved to the tea machines.

"So, you any close to finding your mythical twins?" Harry said after a moment of silence.

"Yes, there is a reason Nick hired the Newman boy, his is the purest gold Aura we have seen, and Sophie, her silver Aura is purer than Joan's," Perenelles said excitedly, "We'll take them to the Witch by the end of the summer so she can awaken them."

"I'm sure that will go well," Harry said, "Any sign of Dee or Machiavelli?"

"No, we hope to keep it that way," Perenelle smiled, "What about you, did you finally find closure"

Harry smiled widely, "Yes, Last Halloween actually, I mixed the Japanese and the Mexican spirit calling, almost did not figure the arithmancy out in time for the solstice, but I managed to spend a full day with my parents."

"I hope you are not abusing such ritual, messing with the death can have catastrophic consequences," Perenelle warned.

"I know, they told me as much, I agreed to call them only during the fall solstice, when the risks are almost null, and only then," Harry said

"Good, you were reckless back then," Sophie arrived with the tea in her hand, Harry smiling at her.

"Why was he reckless?" Sophie asked, curious about the man Perry never introduced.

"I lost my arm a few years back, I got something in it during a charge to something I didn't like," Harry lifted his sleeve to show the metal that was his arm, "I got necrosis on this arm and had to cut it off, Perry got me a doctor to use the experimental hydraulic arm, I used that eight years."

"Last year he offered himself as a test subject for a prosthesis that connected directly to the nerve endings," Perry interrupted Harry, who nodded in agreement, having come up with this story himself.

"They amputated what I had left of my arm, connected the endings to this beauty and gave me a book on how to repair it, since I am a bioengineer I've yet to have any problems, and I've even added functions to it, my wife in particular likes it."

Harry smirked as Perenelle gave him a disapproving stare, but by the clueless look on Sophie's face, he could tell that only the older woman knew what he was talking about, the poor girl. Transmutation and electronics, a wonderful mix in bed, at least according to Nicte.

There was also the fact that it could become any sort of kitchen instruments, ridding the house of a need for kitchen knives, since Harry was the only one that knew how to cook without burning the food, or eggbeaters, spatulas, ladles, the works.

"So you graduated, I'm proud," Perry smiled.

"Yes, last summer, didn't I tell you in my Christmas mail?" Harry asked.

"No, you skipped over that, in fact, you only told us that you had your arm modified, your sight fixed and your first bike."

"Ho, I was sure I had told you that, but well, now you know," Harry took a long gulp of his tea, smiling pleasantly at the taste, "Say, any advice in the stock market, I want another source of income for the house."

"How about Google and Apple?" Sophie suggested, making Harry turn to her, "Well, smartphones are on the rise, and Google just bought YouTube."

Harry nodded, "Sound advice, thank you, Sophie," he gulped down the rest of the tea, "I'll be off now, I want to see Cath before the day is over."

"I'm sure she'll be pleased that you are going to her," Perry said, "See you Harry, take care."

"You too, Perry, Sophie."

"Bye Mister Potter."

"Call me Harry, or Potter if you want to be formal."

And with that the twenty-five year-old walked out from the teashop.

"Bless his heart, the young one has gone through a lot of pain," Perry said near the brim of her cup.

"How so, Perry?"

"He doesn't like to talk about it, but his birth family has been nothing but suffering for him, his parents murdered, his uncle abusive, his godfather a criminal," Perry sighed, "His wife keeps him straight, he is happy with her, but I know how to look for things."

"Then, why did you not adopt him?"

"I did not meet him until he was fifteen, my husband when he was twelve," Perry sighed again, "too late for us to do so, he was attached to the matron at his orphanage."

"Who is Cath?"

"A friend we all share, she owes a dojo in the China Town, and the two of them like to spar from time to time."

Sophie's thoughts started wondering about Perry's friends.

First a motorcyclist and now a dojo owner? What was next, a witch?


	2. Chapter 2

***San Francisco*May 20***

Harry knocked on the door of the small flat where Scathach, Cath for friends, decided to place her martial arts academy this century, in San Francisco's China town.

Without bothering to wait for his friend to open the door, Harry entered, carefully removing his jacket and shoes, as the floor was wooden and he wouldn't need them during what would be his fight of the week.

Moving to the floor of the dojo, he transmuted his left arm into a pole, being mindful to keep the articulation for mobility. Enlarging the macahuitl from his waist, he settled into a stance that would allow him to use both to their magical potential.

He blocked a staff with his arm, delivering a fast counter with his other weapon, but Scathach dodged at the last second by ducking under it and delivering a palm to his stomach, making him stagger backwards.

"Your stance is all wrong, you let your bones take the brunt of my palm, I saw the energy from my staff stop at your shoulder," the flaming redhead scolded her student, "You were supposed to let it move to the other side."

"Hard when the arm that takes the hit is all metal," Harry changed his stance some, his knees further apart, "but then, this was supposed to be a reunion, not a lesson"

"I am the teacher of Cuchulain, master of warriors; every fight with me is a lesson," they traded a blurry of blows, Harry coming out worse, yet he still managed to land three solid blows.

"Except when you're trying to get laid with me or get me laid with Nicte" Another exchange, Harry parried and blocked with his left, trying get a finisher with his right.

"Hey, best threesome ever, right? You were a bit drunk on tequila though," Harry glared at her, making her smirk and sweep his feet from under him.

Harry jumped over her legs, delivering a kick to her hips, which she blocked with her forearm, "She's been trying for a repeat performance, and it gets annoying when she tries to make me a contortionist."

"Just say the word and I can open a dojo in Yucatan, I could teach combat at that school you went to," a blade lock had them inches from each other's faces, but Scathach's dropped, "Please Harry, I love Nick and Perry, but they let my appearance go to their heads."

"And I could make you look older," Harry disengaged and tried to hit her on the side with his wooden weapon, "And I always come to you as a friend visiting without asking for something."

The Shadow dodged and knocked him to the floor with a kick, putting the tip of her staff on Harry's neck so he couldn't move his head, "So, what do you say? Want me to move to Mexico?"

"Talk to my wife, she makes decisions when it comes to residents," He smirked, "And you let your guard down," Harry tried to use his legs, still free, to flip Scathach and put his own weapon at her throat.

"I'm never off guard," she answered as she locked her legs around his hips and continued the roll so she was still on top of him, smirking at his glaring face, one knee on Harry's hip, the other on his metallic arm, "I win"

"This is why I prefer chess with you" he had no chance of winning a fight against Scathach, her experience and strength were too much for Harry to handle, but she was not good for the three steps ahead games that Harry always played, and she ended up with only pawns and a tower to defend her king.

Not to say she didn't beat him, in fact she won two out of five games, but he preferred that to the complete defeat that he would receive when he fought against her with swords or fists.

That was why he usually spared and/or dueled against Miztli, who was on his level and was planning on becoming part of the national magical defense force, the AMM.

"So, what brings you here before the Christmas visit?" the redhead helped Harry stand up, watching in festination as he changed his left arm back into its normal prosthetic shape, "I thought you whole house was going to Europe."

"No, we were going to Chicago and New York, a two week visit, good knows we have enough money," Harry tapped a combination on his arm, a backpack popping out not a second later, "Fancy some fruit?"

Kaan and Itzmin jumped out the bag not a second after Harry opened it, Hedwig coming out seconds later and settling on Harry's shoulder, looking approvingly at Scathach.

"Give me an apple if you have one," she caught a red one that was thrown her way.

"Anyway, I came because I got mail from Nick saying that he needed me here for something important, and that you would be needed too," a container of spicy dried mangos came out of the backpack, "want to drop in on them for some stew?"

"Yeah, Perry makes great stew," yet Harry knew her, and he knew that she was wondering why she would be needed.

* * *

***That evening*Fleming Residence***

"Alright, the silence wards are up, should hold for at least all night," Harry took a swig of the beer in front of him, "We all know it wasn't you that sent me that mail Nicholas."

"True, somehow the Man With The Hook got into my computer and summoned you here," Nicholas was drinking tea rather than alcohol, as was Perenelle, and Scathach was drinking whiskey.

"Fucking hell, I told you I did not want to get involved in YOUR prophecy," he really hated fate, destiny, whatever the hell moved strings up, or down, there, "At least tell me I get live past my hundred and have two children."

The lights flickered, "Yes you do" Harry and Scathach reacted to the voice by slamming their respective weapon towards where it came from, "Now, what way is that to greet an old friend, then again, it is the first time you meet me, Harry Potter, though I have seen you at your best, your worst."

"One reason, give me one reason not to shoot the spell that's begging to come out" the macahuitl hummed.

"I'll do you one better," the shrouded man confidently moved the wooden instrument of dead away from his body, "Catalina Camila and Octavio Daniel, I suppose you know what I'm talking about."

"So I do live, still, unless you give me the guarantee right now I will still shoot"

"I could, but that interferes with the prophecy, the Old Man needs you to wing it until you meet him, so, unless you want all you love to be enslaved, I suggest you follow the path that awaits you," and then he was gone.

"I really want to kill something right about now," Harry bottomed the bottle of beer in one swig, taking another from his bag of surprises.

"With you on that, please tell me this will end soon," Scathach started drinking directly from her whiskey flask, not bothering with the mineral water offered.

"I honestly don't know, but we need to get the kids ready," Nicholas said with finality, and everyone knew that he was already working on a plan.

* * *

***Five days later*May 25***

Nick, Perry and Harry insisted on taking Josh and Sophie for a picnic at the Golden Gate Park, the twins, since Sophie had no work on Thursday and Josh had to follow Nick's order, agreed, and soon the four, with Harry riding his bike, were on the Land Rover that the Flemings owned.

Three hours long of sitting, eating, talking and laughing, until the adults nodded to each other, and then it all turned serious.

"How to put this in simple terms?" Josh and Sophie shared a quick look, both with a question in their eyes.

"I'll do it Nick, can't be harder than the volunteering I've been doing since I graduated," Harry leaned forward, "Have either of you ever seen something in the news, especially in the world news, that seems inexplicable, like the wall that appeared on the bridge of a navy frigate or something like that?"

"Well, there was this time when mom and dad took us to Seattle and it rained lightning on a clear day," Josh said, not knowing why they were asked something like that.

"And when we went to some Apache grounds and there was this huge circle carved into the ground," Sophie added, looking at the three faces in front of her.

"You live in a world where things are possible now that they were not ten years ago, you can talk to someone in France at the click of a button, hear ten times as many music in devices as many times smaller, science is discovering things that we never thought existed.

"What was called magic in the middle ages is now regarded as common knowledge, things you are expected to know before you start your higher education, but there are still things that are unexplainable, the two you just described are not even the tip of the iceberg.

"Nicholas and Perenlle Flamel, Merlin Ambrosius, Buddha, Mahomet, Saladin, Gilgamesh, all really lived, some of them never truly died, living on as ghosts, or simply doing something that no one really thought possible.

"I am what is known as a wizard, I am a mage of the Mexican Magical world, I am a recognized alchemist by the University, and you, Josh and Sophie Newman, hit the genetic jackpot, and somehow, even though you have the brightest of auras, the strongest I've felt, you were never trained.

"But in front of you, you have one of the best rune users in the world, you have the most powerful human and her less powerful husband willing to teach you, all you need to do, is choose whether you want your life changed forever, or if you want to keep your normality, I can make you forget this entire conversation."

A whole silent conversation went through the minds of Josh and Sophie in that instant, Josh wanting nothing more than call the police and get the nut jobs in prison, and Sophie wanted to at least get some proof that the man was not talking complete bullshit.

In the end Sophie managed to wriggle an agreement with Josh; the two would ask for proof, and if it was just a trick of cards then they would call the police, but otherwise they would discuss it overnight.

"Can you prove that you can actually cast spells?" Sophie and Josh both went to grab their cellphone.

"Ok, nothing I haven't done a lot of times before, let's show you something simple, see what you think," Harry snapped his fingers loudly, a flame engulfing his whole hand, only to go out a second later, "That's the simplest I can do with alchemy, watch the arm," another snap of his fingers, but this time lighting arched between his hand and metal prosthetics, transforming the whole thing into a sword.

"Unfortunately, children, Harry had to lose his arm for him to be able to do that, you could learn to control the elements, or bend the laws of physics, depends on what you have an attitude for," Perry patted the twins reassuringly, making them pick their jaws up from the floor.

"The first thing though, should you chose to accept what we are offering, is awakening the potential within you, and for that we would need the permission of your guardian," Nick explained.

"Our Aunt said we could make all our decisions during the summer, and mom and dad said the same," Sophie said, Josh nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, they said something about wanting us to be independent from early on," the male twin continued.

"Then there are five ways we can do this," Harry started speaking again, "One of them is only legal in Africa, the other only in the Australian continent, I don't know where we can find a vampires willingly given blood, and I doubt we have an ancient that knows how to do it handy."

"Surely you can't be suggesting we do it the long way," Nick complained, "It will take until the end of the week."

"Do you want them to start learning as soon they are awoken? This is the only way that is not likely to leave them in a coma or death," Harry turned to the two stunned children.

"What I am suggesting is that I draw thirty five runes both on you and on a ritual altar with the express purpose of awakening your hidden potential, and before you start shouting for help, I swear on my oaths as a doctor, and on my health and magic, that I will do you no harm."

A flash of light, the binding of the promise Harry just made, made the children agree reluctantly.

They would be able to use their auras before May came to a close

* * *

***May 29***

"The ritual is as follows," Josh and Sophie were lying on the floor, Sophie wearing sport clothes and Josh only his swimming trunks, "Normally I would only draw on your body, since the ritual is supposed to destroy a block on magic, however," the two were already covered in runes.

"Since you do not suffer from that, but from lack of magic maturation, the runes on the floor, matching those on your body, will force your aura to become accessible, with some unpleasant side effects," Harry sent them a serious look, "I would suggest ingesting only liquids, your stomach will be unable to process anything but that for twenty four hours."

"Be ready children, Harry will start the ritual now," Perry stepped out from the room, leaving them on their own.

"Hold each other's hands if you need to, and try not to shout," Light engulfed the twins as Hary started the ritual, and they felt the air of their lungs go out.

Two hours later, they awoke, Harry was offering some kind of beverage to them, and feeling their dry throats, they were more than willing to accept the liquid.

"It's a nutritional potion, I'll give you twenty of them, drink one every two hours," Harry handed Sophie a box with the vials, "That's ten each, stay here tomorrow after you get off work, I'll start your training."


	3. Chapter 3

***May 31, 2006*Fleming book shop***

Josh Newman sighed for what felt the fiftieth time of the day, for he was suffering from boredom, he and his sister had been waiting for today to end, for they would be able to start their training in aura manipulation, something both Harry and Nick, who they now knew to be Nicholas Flamel, were excited about.

It would be so bad if he was given something to start with, but according to Harry, who had shown them a copy of his diploma he kept stashed in his backpack ("Never know when it'll be needed, I also have the engineering one in there."), it could be dangerous to start using magic before his body was able to start ingesting solids again.

Something about burning too fast through his aura.

Josh did not understand the worry; he was more concerned about beginning to learn about bending physics, about setting fire to snakes, summoning prehistoric animals, the important stuff.

But noooo, he and Sophie, who somehow was okay with waiting one more day, had to wait one more day.

He was pulled away from his thoughts when the smell of rotten eggs engulfed the little bookshop.

"Josh, go into the forbidden room, grab the most important book in there, and whatever you do, do not let the last few pages out of your sight," Nicholas started to make his fingers twitch, the smell of peppermint mixing with the rotten eggs.

Josh, afraid of the tone Nicholas took, ran into the room, looking around before noticing one large, golden book in the shelves, only after grabbing it and tearing off the last three pages, did he look around the room.

It was full to the brim with different herbs, fungi and insect parts, a cauldron on the corner and a weird tablet with a skull on top of it.

He heard glass breaking, so he clutched the book tight to his chest and looked through one of the cracks of the frame.

Nicholas was in the room with some other man and two hulking guards, and he couldn't for the love of god, make out what they were saying, only that the stranger was smug at seeing Nick and Nicholas was shaking with rage.

A door slammed on the street, and the adults turned to the broken window, where Josh could not see.

"I admit, when my Master told me that you were hiding under my nose all this time, I was hesitant of what you would have to defend yourself," the man walked around the room, his eyes never leaving Nicholas, "but within seconds of finding your home I capture your wife and destroy your business."

"What did you do to Perry, Dee?" Nicholas threw a bolt of something at one of the guards, making it stagger, but otherwise remain unaffected, "Stone golems."

"Yes, handy thing, takes a lot to destroy them," Dee said in a pleased voice, "Tell me where The Book of Abraham is and I will let you live your last days with your wife."

A motor revved up in the street, but it went ignored, "Tell me where Perenelle is Dee, and I might show mercy."

Harry's motorcycle crashed into one of the guards, golems, destroying the construct but leaving the piece of art undamaged, "I have found that it is unwise to make Nicholas angry," Harry shrunk his motorbike, his left arm a weapon, his right prepared to decapitate Dee.

"Ah, your last apprentice, I heard he picked you from an orphanage," Dee made flames appear in front of Harry, but the man drenched them by pointing his metal arm, "A wizard, ha, I thought the dark immortals got rid of all of you."

"Then you do not have enough resources, we are thriving, a billion around the world," He and Nick struck at the same time, destroying the second of the golems, but Dee raised a third the second it was destroyed.

"JOSH, GET OUT OF THE SHOP AND INTO MY CAR, START THE ENGINE" Nick shouted, and the teen ran through the bookshop, the Book of Abraham in his hands.

Dee, having locked onto his target as soon as it was visible, intercepted the teen, wrestling the book from his hands, and grinning evilly as the teen ran out of the shop.

His third golem was destroyed, and he watched as The Alchemist escaped with two children in his car and a man by the side riding a bike.

He didn't care about them anymore, he had the Book of Abraham, Perenelle Flame, most powerful woman alive, was on a boat to Alcatraz, and the end of the world was less than a week away.

But for now, he had to take news of his success to his Master.

* * *

***Half hour later***

"Cath, come downstairs!" Kaan and Itzmin got to attention in front of Harry, fascinating Josh and Sophie, who had never seen a magical animal before.

"What is it?" Scathach, wearing a training outfit with red pants and white top, came into the foyer, looking at the grim faces on Nick and Harry, "Where's Perenelle?"

"Captured," Nick dropped to the floor, his back to the wall and his face on his hands, "And I couldn't do a damn thing."

"Keep yourself together, old man, we need you to take us the closest Elder that can teach the kids something," Harry started to pet Itzmin, "I can't teach them anything, I don't have the knowledge to perform transfers."

"We'll go to Hecate, the Yggdrasil Shadow Realm should deter Dee and his forces from attacking further," Nicholas said, his age visible.

"Can she teach the twins anything?" Harry asked.

"No, she specialized in creating Torc Alta, but she knows the location of may Shadow Realms and Elders around America, if she knows of one that is close to a Lay Gate and aligned to the humans, then she'll tell us." Scathach leaned on the frame of her door, watching Harry pet his familiars.

"We'll need to arrive as the sun sets," Nicholas stood up and went to Scathach's kitchen, "her old persona is the easiest to deal with."

"What are you talking about?" Josh interrupted before anything else could be said.

"Humans are the sixth truly sentient specie that roamed the world," The redhead he did not recognized answered Josh, "Before them were the Next Generation, people like me, with the best of both humans and Elders, but just as many weaknesses.

"Before us, came the Elders, who created humans, werejackals, werewolves, and werepigs, and then, before all of us came beings that even now terrify Elders and Next Generations alike. The Ancients.

"All of the gods of old religions are either Ancient, Elders or Next Generation, I myself was quite the figure in Celt mythology."

"And your sister in Japanese," Harry stood up, "You all have one hour to eat and wash, we leave for wherever this shadow realm is as soon as time is up," Oh how much he hated this situations, "Hedwig, I need you to take a message to Nicte" the snowy owl came from the rafters, landing on the only table in the foyer.

"You two follow Nick, you'll get washed after you've eaten," Scathach went up the stairs.

Whatever happened to the normal life of the Newman twins.

* * *

***With John Dee***

Dee enterprises was a large building, one of the largest in San Francisco, all of it was office, except for floor 13, only two meters tall, but it was just what Dee needed for his HQ for his Elder jobs.

He had to report that he finally had the Book of Abraham.

John Dee was a happy man, he was sure that this would be the last thing to do in service of his Master, and then he would be free to go on his own to kill Flamel without regard for what He thought.

The end was close, it would not matter if he destroyed one of the most important pieces in the chessboard, now that the Queen was done for, it was only a matter of time before the King fell as well.

But first.

"What are you doing here, Morrigan?" Dee asked the crow goddess, who was sitting on his office chair.

"I was sent to pick up the Book of Abraham, the Elders want it on their desk by yesterday," the feathered woman held out her hand, the Englishman hesitantly handing it over, "There are pages missing"

"What?!" Dee ripped the book from her hands, checking the back, and indeed, the last three pages were cut off, leaving only a very thin residue on the binding, "Where is the nearest human aligned Elder?" Dee asked the Morrigan.

"Hecate"

That was all Dee needed, he was out the door with his objective in mind before the Morrigan had a chance to utter anything else.

Meanwhile in a darkened corner of the floor, Marethyu, The Hooded Man with the Hook, smiled to himself.

All was going according to the Prophesy his friend Abraham had made, with the slight changes that would ultimately do nothing to change the outcome of the story.

It all depended in the upcoming three days.


	4. Chapter 4

***Highway*San Francisco***

"I'm sorry kids, but you can't escape this now, not when Dee already saw you with us," Harry said, sitting with the children in the Jeep, Scathatch had taken the bike, "We just escaped from a man called John Dee, Nick's mortal enemy"

"Is this the same John Dee that used to serve a queen?" Josh asked.

"Yes, I won't tell you the exactly what happened to him, because I don't know," Harry answered, "But there are many ways to reach immortality, all of them with some kind of drawback"

"Magic has been around since the creation of the Earth, first by a civilization known simply as The Ancients, who achieved immortality at the price of their reason; they killed each other when changes turned them to animals.

"Centuries after the ancients went extinct came the Elders, those that became the gods of old civilizations, like Quetzalcoatl, Prometheus, Odin, Thor, and Ra. But they too underwent changes thanks to their immortality; they all looked human at first, but then changed at what people remember them as."

"From the Elders came many others: Humans, Werewolves, Werecats, Second Generation and many others, I don't doubt you'll meet some of them when we get to the Yggdrasil shadow realm. Some Second Generation also underwent the change, the three-headed crow goddess, for example, others never aged beyond their prime, like Scathatch and her sister.

"With humans, the price for immortality varies, some, like Nicholas, depend on something to keep them alive," 'The Philosopher's Stone' Josh mouthed to Sophie, "Others, like a man I met when I was fourteen, have to cut their souls into pieces to anchor it to this plain of existence, then there are those like Dee, who become slaves to those that make them immortal. Then there is Joan of Arc and the Count of Saint Germaine, married but unable to have children."

"That's awful," Sophie said, and Harry could not help but agree.

"Yet very logical, live needs to grow old, I'm going to assume that the reason those two you mentioned can't have children is because their reproductive system uses the stem cells that would normally create sex cells are used to keep them alive," Josh said, remembering his biology class.

"Something like that, but not quite, the ritual they did put any secondary organs in stasis, so that what would normally be used to keep them healthy would go to the rest of the body, as well as increasing the stem cell count in their bone marrow, as well as the flexibility."

Sophie and Josh blinked, and Nick sighed, "What? You asked, they let me make all sorts of tests on them, though Joan wasn't very friendly afterwards"

"Because you were a starting doctor," Nicholas said, looking at his passenger, "and the anesthesia you used lasted for six hours."

"I didn't know that their metabolisms would work the same."

"I doesn't matter, buckle up everyone, give your electronics to Harry, they'll be useless soon," The teens made to discuss, but a glare from Nick stopped them, "The magic of the World Tree will sap the energy from them anyway."

"Why?" Sophie asked, still reluctant to leave her iPod with Harry.

"Something to do with the three, it saps electricity and converts it into magic," Nicholas answered, looking at the dash of the jeep, "I should warn you, do not comment on Hecate's appearance, her Change forces her to appear differently depending the hour."

"How," Josh asked.

"During the morning she is a child, innocent looking but deadly, from ten to seven, she is an adult, distracting and deadly, from eight until the cycle starts again she is an elderly lady, easily angered," Nicholas said, noticing that lights were starting to flash.

Harry looked at him and he nodded. They would be using the connections of the Yggdrasil to reach the next Elder.

"Can you still ride a bike, Nicholas?" Harry asked the immortal, who was already showing the first signs of age.

"I haven't since Grindewald tried to make us join him, but I should be able to," It was then that it hit the children what Harry had told them soon after they met: There really was a world hidden from them.

"It's my godfather's; remember the London explosion shortly after Halloween '81?" Nicholas nodded, "well, he only just managed to get his bike back, and I borrowed it to modify mine."

"That would still leave one of us behind," Nicholas said.

"Nah, he built it with a side-car, and a dragon's breath booster, so you should be able to get away fast."

"You mean there actually are dragons?!" Josh exclaimed, Sophie looking just as exited.

"And basilisks, though those are regulated, werewolves, also regulated, vampires, they stay in Europe, Chupacabras here in Mexico, a friend of mine is one, dwarves, goblins, giants, though those are going extinct, too many battles between them."

The two's eyes widened further and further, until they resembled plates.

"If you go to my house sometime I'll let you borrow the most complete book that describes myths and truths of magical stuff," Harry said.

The Jeep died that moment, letting the Scathatch catch up to them, handing the motorbike to Harry, who shrunk it and put it in his satchel, where everything he had brought with him was.

"Do not show any fear or aggression, children, the Torc Alta will attack if you do," Nicholas warned the teens, Harry and Scathatch already walking towards the biggest tree in vicinity.

It was six in the afternoon, meaning that they would catch the Elder when she was at her most agreeable. This would be best if they wanted to exit her shadow realm towards one closer to the Witch of Endor, Scathatch's grandmother.

The Warthog men escorted them towards the Yggdrasil, where no doubt Hecate would be waiting for them. The twins were given more space than the adults were, but this was no surprise to any of them, as the ever-changing goddess no doubt had sensed that they had the Gold and Silver auras of legend.

It was a shame that she refused to take sides; with the control she had over the Yggdrasil it would be so easy to lock in the Dark Elders in their shadow realms, leaving them unable to do anything while the others took out their servants.

No one dared mess with her for that very reason, even if she lost a battle, a number of shadow realms would be destroyed, and even more would be blocked off from access to others.

* * *

***Alcatraz prison***

Perenelle woke up in a cell, confirming the last thought she had had before someone had knocked her out 'I am being kidnapped'

Judging by the sound of waves crashing on the shore nearby, she would say that wherever she was, it was still in San Francisco, or at least near the cost. A look through the tiny, barred window confirmed this.

She deduced that they had taken her to Alcatraz, the only prison, mundane anyway, near enough for her to be transported in less than two hours, the time she assumed she had been unconscious.

She couldn't feel her magic, which was bad, and meant that there was either a rune array nearby, though she doubted that as the drain would be localized in some part of her body, or the Sphinx.

Not the one of Egypt or one of the many that roamed the magical Mediterranean, but the Next Generation creature that had given birth to those riddle givers, it would certainly explain why she felt cut off from her magic, rather than drained.

But she was not a figure as legendary as her husband, perhaps even more, for nothing.

She sat down, legs crossed, and meditated.

* * *

***Yggrassil shadow realm***

Sophie and Josh were shown to one of the rooms upstairs in the tree while Harry, Nicholas and Scathatch pleaded their case to the three-aged goddess.

"What do you think of this?" Josh asked his twin, trying to hear something from the small opening that led to the stairs.

"What do you mean? Hecate or…?" Sophie let her response fade.

"Everything," Josh responded loudly, "Nicholas Flamel being immortal, magical people running around in hiding, gods and goddesses hidden in worlds of their creation, a shadow war being fought."

"I," Sophie tried to look for the best way to put it, "I don't know, in a way I am excited, because we could be able to do some amazing things, like summoning lightning, or healing people…"

"And on the other?" Josh egged her on.

"On the other we have the ones wanting to bring an end to the world as we know it," Sophie sighed, leaning onto her twin as he wrapped an arm around her.

"And yet we don't want to go back to how it was before," Sophie nodded, "I wonder what aunt Agnes is doing right now."

"Probably something boring," Sophie smiled.

It had been a while since they had had some twin quality time, and what better time to do so than when they were cut off from the rest of the world.

* * *

***Yggdrassil main chamber***

"You come asking for passage, when you know I have not gotten involved since I helped humans get out of Danu Talis," Hecate looked at the three before her.

"Yes, truly I know that, but the twins, they are important, and we need to get them to learn magic," Nicholas said calmly, trying not to sound desperate.

"You are the Alchemist that has killed hundreds, your companions are The Shadow and a wizard," Hecate said, looking at Nicholas only.

"And the two children upstairs are the twins of prophesy, to two that are one, one to create and one to destroy," Nicholas tried to appeal to the loyalty the elder had had to Abraham.

"All the more reason to get you out of my realm" Hecate sighed, "I will open a gateway three miles from the Witch of Endor tomorrow at noon, until then you two must provide my servants with weapons," she pointed at Nicholas and Harry, who nodded reluctantly.

"That's as good as we're getting," Scathatch said, moving to the stairs.

The two men followed her.


	5. Chapter 5

***Yggdrasil Shadow Realm***

In the end, it was Harry that created the weaponry for the Torc Alta, while Scathatch and Nicholas briefed the children in what happened during the negotiation with the changing goddess.

The weapons were not what the warthog-men expected, but considering that they did not have raw metal to make swords, maces, and the like, the stone clubs they received were as good as they could get, considering that they did not break against the bark of the World Tree.

"Where are we going, again?" Josh asked the aged alchemist.

"To the Witch of Endor," Nicholas replied, noticing how Scathatch cringed, "She will give you both a crash course on wind magic, hopefully, before we have to move again."

"Isn't she an Elder?" Sophie questioned.

"Yes," Scathatch answered, making the teens turn to her, "But she is blind, so no much use in giving us a hideout, and Dee would find us anyway, since he knows the position of every Elder in the world."

"Not all of them," Harry came into the room, looking dirty, "Some of them hid themselves in the wizarding world."

"Those that wanted nothing to do with the war or with people without access to their aura," Flamel said, having personally met some of them.

"Besides," Scathatch interrupted, "Her house has a Ley Line to France, I'm sure Joan and Germaine would love to help."

"Hecate will open the gates as close as she can to the Witch of Endor, but it will still be a drive to get there," Harry sighed, "Luckily the Dogfather gave me his Harley."

"The…Dogfather?" The twins asked at the same time, utterly confused.

"Yeah, my godfather insisted I call him that after he watched the Godfather, said it was just a waste not to," Harry shrugged, "The wife agreed, so…"

"Leaving behind your family," Nick interrupted before Scathatch and Harry could talk about the time she had joined Harry and Nicte in a trip to England, "We need to get going, Dee could get here any moment."

A explosion rang out, followed by a very cold wind, "Like now," Cath deadpanned.

* * *

***Outside the tree***

Dee knew he was going overkill with one of the Swords Of Power and the largest army of stone golems he had ever made, but with Potter, Flamel, The Shadow and The Changing Goddess on the opposing side he could not take any chances.

He was anything but stupid, having kept an eye in the wizarding world even after Queen Elizabeth had died and his position as Court Magician was taken, even after his supposed death.

He knew exactly when the new Supreme Warlock, Neville Longbottom, had stepped in for Albus Dumbledore, who had stepped in shortly after the end of the second world war, the old man retiring at the old age, old retirement age by wizarding standard, of one hundred and twenty years.

He had also known all along about the crazy madmen that ran along in Europe and Asia during the last century, like the wizard that orchestrated the second world war. Or the Asian monk that decided that the Tibet had to be united and therefore threatened to destroy the border between India and its neighboring countries. What about the wizard that thought about conquering the world with the dragon it had raised. The wizard that thought the limitations of the soul did not apply to him.

The American equivalent, and the Oceanic, were very quiet, the American having only dealt with occasional threats from drug dealers crossing over, and the Australian (And surrounding islands) only had to deal with nature trying to kill them every day in thirteen different ways before noon.

That was preoccupying enough for a dark lord to rise.

Back on topic, he had known when Harry Potter competed, and tied, on the Tri-wizard tournament, and knew what a wizard with alchemy and aura manipulation on his side could do.

It was obvious that he was right not to underestimate the wizard, as groups of five Torc Alta took down his golems, with weapons that even the Changing Goddess could not create without a mold.

It did not matter, for each of his golems took down at least three of the werehogs before they themselves could be taken down, thanks to both the bigger strength and the better defense.

The Changing Goddess soon came down to the battlefield, and Dee used the chance to dodge and duck around the torc alta to get closer to the Yggrasil, where the Alchemist and his followers were no doubt hiding.

The Wizard did not waste a movement as he moved down the battlefield, delivering one swift strike with Excalibur at a time, freezing his opponents and leaving them to his golems to shatter.

Even then it was nearly fifteen minutes between his entry into battle and his arrival next to the Yggdrasil, the World Tree.

From what he could see around him, Hecate was fighting like a person with nothing to lose, destrying anything that even came close to touching her, be it his golems, her beasts, or debris from either one, she was a ruthless force.

Much like his masters had told him she had been during the fall of Danu Talis.

He knew her weakness however, that was why he had moved to stand next to the World Tree rather than kill all her troops on the battle.

If you destroyed the Yggdrasil, you destroyed Hecate.

Excalibur sliced deeply into the roots of the tree, and before he started running to get out of the shadow he saw Hecate screaming in pain, her connection to the Tree having been severed as soon as the roots started freezing over.

He had failed to get Flamel, though, he just knew it.

* * *

***Alcatraz prison***

Meditating had been a hobby of hers before she had met her husband, and thanks to the ages of experience she had with it, passing three hours attempting to reconnect with her aura before it was ingested by the Sphinx was really not that impressive.

"And what is my next meal attempting?" the taunting voice of her captor drifted into her cell, confirming what she had suspected before she sat down.

Perenelle did not answer, now feeling weaker than ever, her connection to magic and aura totally cut off from her.

"Aw, I like it when my food tries to fight back, won't you please try to escape? Or even and Isult?" The Sphinx purred.

"You forget that I have lived for nearly seven centuries and never hurt myself further than perhaps a broken bone," Perenelle calmly said, "With you here, it is suicide."

"Hmmm, perhaps I would have had more fun with your little man," The Sphinx said.

"Perhaps, but I am not him," The Sphinx hissed at her and left.

Perenelle sighed.

Perhaps her medium powers were still available.

* * *

***Somewhere in California***

Harry Potter absolutely loathed all forms of magical travel.

Back when he had ran from the Dursleys, he had been disoriented from every jump during his practice months, and winded.

The Portkey he had taken from Mexico to England back when he was fourteen was no better, as it felt like it was trying to rip out everything in his abdominal area through his navel.

Brooms were good, but ultimately, even with a cushioning charm, it was a stick in the crotch, and that was uncomfortable.

His bike was best, having just the perfect amount of natural cushioning plus the extra charm, and responsive enough to stop and turn with less trouble than a broom.

This new form of travel, through doors created between dimensions, was not any better, as it felt like his body was ripped apart and pieced back together, leaving him with aching articulations and sore muscles.

"Where do we go now Nicholas?" Sophie asked the ancient alchemist.

"North through this road, Harry, we'll need the bikes."

Josh grinned at the prospect, already thinking of asking if he could ride, or perhaps even drive, one of them.

He opened his mouth to ask.

"No, I promised Sirius he would get it back in one piece when I finished my prototype, and you are not touching my creation," Harry pretty much killed his mood.

"Do I have a chance of trying?" Josh tried to use the puppy eyes on Harry, but he had been subjected to fifteen years of that by Nicte.

"When we end this whole stupid prophecy, then you can ask, until then, unless the Dogfather lets you use it, and since I won't, stay away from the bikes' handlebars."


	6. Chapter 6

**I AM FINALLY BACK IN BUSSINESS. Jesus, my inspiration failed because of some stress during the summer, and only now, after countless days of trying, I have achieved my inspiration again.**

**I would like to apologize to those I let down for not updating when I said I would, but well, such is life.**

**Next up I will update A Hunter's Life, followed by The Oncoming Storm, expect a chapter a week for all of them. The Different Result is still in hiatus, because of lack of ideas, so anyone willing to adopt it, PM me and I will give you the notes I remember I took for it. (Lost documents are a bitch)**

* * *

***Near last known position of Nicholas Flamel***

Harry Potter glared at the road ahead of him, deep in thought.

He thought that he had been done with fate, that now that Voldemort was trapped in a statue at Hogwarts he could relax, do what he wanted to with his life, maybe travel the world, have a child or two.

And now here he was, riding to meet with the Witch of Endor, Scathatch sat with him while the twins rode with Nicholas on his godfather's modified motorbike.

This all because a strange man thought that Harry had a hand to play in the fate of the world, and while he would do all he could to save the world from destruction, he did not want to be forced to do it by someone he did not even know.

He supposed it would not be as bad if he had Miztli, who had an even better combat form than himself, and could probably take down at least one of Dee's golems with skill alone.

Then again, Miztli did not have a wand, and those were better for mobile fighting

"How much further until we arrive?" He shouted at Scathatch

"Five minutes at most," She shouted back, "And keep in mind she is blind, not invalid"

"I know, she sees through the mirrors in her shop," He smirked, "It's Nick who should warn the twins"

* * *

***John Dee*Outside collapsed shadow realm***

He knew he was in trouble, and that he had little time before everyone noticed that he had destroyed the Yggdrasil.

That was why he did not hesitate to board the all-terrain he had brought here, nor did he hesitate to take his scrying plate from the storage.

He concentrated, opening the windows before the smell of sulfur could grow too strong, and Looked.

He saw Flamel and the twins, riding a motorbike, he saw Potter and the Shadow trailing them, but the focus was on Flamel

His cellphone rang

Steeling himself for the coming call, he picked up

"You destroyed the Yggdrasil" The double, genderless voice immediately accused, "Do you have any idea of the damage you have caused?"

He tried to justify himself, but before he could even move his mouth his masters spoke again, "No you don't, you have trapped many loyal to our cause in their realms, you have released the Nidgehog, and collapse so many realms.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I almost had him," Said Dee, "If I had been just a second faster, then he would have died with the Tree"

"And the last pages of the Codex with him," Dee could feel the anger coursing through that voice, "Be thankful that they are still within reach, Hecate sent them to the Witch of Endor"

"Then I will get the rest of the Codex and kill them," Dee offered, eager not to be killed.

"You will do no such thing!" The voice exploded, "The Twins of Legend are traveling with him, you are to capture them, DO NOT DISAPOINT" And the line went dead.

Dee sighed, knowing that it was only the fact that he had Perenelle Flamel captured that kept him alive, and that one more mistake, no mater how small, would take his head clean off his shoulders, or worse, his aura.

While most people would consider death to be the ultimate penalty, he had lived long enough not to fear a sudden, painless death. However, aura was sacred, every living being possessed it, and to be without it would be the equivalent to be left without a soul, only incredibly more painful, as there would still be a conscience left to feel the emptiness, the vacuum, left in the body.

"Drive as fast as you can," he ordered the driver, "We have to catch that man"

The Twins of Legend huh. Gold and Silver. The two that are one, the one that is all, one to save the world, the other to destroy it. How had Flamel managed to find them, after all his failed attempts?

* * *

***Alcatraz prison***

Perenelle meditated.

It was a hard thing to do for a medium as powerful as her, since all the hostility, the resentment, and the sadness left behind by the now dead prisoners, and the current ones as well, was hard hitting on her metal shields.

If she was not as experienced as she was, there was little doubt on her mind that she would have been defeated by the negative emotions already.

People rarely remembered her, thanks to how male dominated history was, but those that did remember her, they knew that without her, Nicholas would have been only half the man he was.

The seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, from a line with the medium blood roaring strong inside her, she was the most magically gifted of all her siblings, more than her brothers, who had all been war-mages, more than her sisters, the best medi-witches that France ever had.

For a woman like her, overcoming a Sphinx was not hard, all she had to do, was call on the ghosts left behind, and get their help.

* * *

***Undisclosed location***

Isis paced, Osiris sat. Sun and Shadow, Life and Death.

There had been a time, when the two of them were recognized by everything living as the most powerful beings in the many realms, even Abraham the Mage disliked confrontations with them.

They were relics though, even during the Age of Danu Talis, they had been considered elders by those around them.

This, however, was not a weakness, but their greatest strength. The two had spent all their lives planning and training, not a single moment was spent with them not doing something productive, whether it was furthering the plan that would bring them to glory, or straining themselves in order to maintain what they had achieved.

There was one problem, however.

"That stupid fool," muttered Osiris, "What was he thinking?"

"He was thinking about his objective," Isis snapped, "I told you that leaving him with too much free will was a bad thing to do"

"And yet you did not stop me as I started his vendetta against Flamel," Osiris snarled back, "Now he has three of the most powerful Elders after his head, and we have lost ten more supporters."

"It will not matter soon, I feel that the time of fullfilment is close," Isis said, "Soon the twins will be where they belong, and we will have won."

"The boy with them, who is he?"

"Unimportant, if what I think will happen does, then he will fall either tomorrow or the following day."

"What if it doesn't?"

"Then we deal with him, no wizard has ever been able to stop us, and he will not be the first."

"He belongs to the land of Quetzalcoatl, they still train warriors there, he could be a threat.

"He is not, now, what do we do about Dare?"

***With Flamel***

They were now in Ojai, California.

Harry had shrunken the motorcycles soon after they got off, as to not risk a robbery, and stayed out with Josh while Scathatch, Sophie, and Nicholas talked to the Elder.

"Why did you make me stay outside?" Josh asked Harry, angry at being told that he would not be taught wind magic.

"Because wind magic is not for you, not yet," Harry answered, truthfully, "I am going to train you in the mind arts first."

"Will that be any help when I am fighting something that's trying to kill me?" Josh started to walk off.

"Perhaps not, but then," Josh paused, "I suppose it would make you less volatile."

That was what did it, Josh walked away from the antique shop, leaving Harry to shake his head, "Stay close, we'll be leaving soon."

Or at least, he hoped so.

* * *

Josh could not understand it. Why was he left behind while his sister learnt some magic that would help?

He sat down on a bench across the park from the antique shop, having heard what Harry had said to him.

He really did not understand it, after all, they were both supposed to be in a prophecy, it was what Nicholas kept muttering anyway.

Then why was his sister getting ahead instead of both of them advancing at the same rate, the same way they were told would happen after their auras settled down, if Dee had not shown up to blow up the book shop.

Why did he have to learn the mind arts, or whatever, before he could start with natural elements, he was already smart enough, his honor student diplomas said that, as did his ability to do complex math by the top of his head.

He sat alone for nearly ten minutes before he jumped when a hand dropped on his shoulder.

"The reason I did not let you go in is because you are impulsive, and with aura manipulation, that can only lead to pain, scars, and blood," He heard Harry sigh.

"Why did you let Sophie, then?"

"Wind and Fire are the most temperamental elements, you know," Harry said, "I pegged Sophie for a girl that knows when she should stop, because wind and fire, they don't like being told what to do, wind can take away your aura before it lets you give it too many orders, and fire can only be directed.

"Listen kid, I know you will learn them eventually, but without the mind arts, and without an willing to transfer all his memories with the element, then you got a very hard road ahead."

"Why can't Scathatch's grandma do it now?" Josh asked cuttingly.

"Memory transference is a stressful thing for both recipient and sender, don't you know?" A rather oily voice said from just outside their vision, "Few Elders can do it without being exhausted for the rest of the day, and the Witch of Endor is no exception to this."

"John Dee," Josh muttered in surprise, wincing a bit when Harry's hand tightened on his shoulder.

"Indeed, young man," The modern gentleman said, "And you should listen to the man behind you, a wizard he may be, he does not lack common sense."

"Did you bring an army, Dee?" Harry asked rudely, already reaching for his weapon.

"Oh no, I am supposed to move more," The British man paused, "covert, after the stunt I pulled at the World Tree, besides, I am here to talk, for now, at least."

"Then say your peace, before I decide not to listen," Harry narrowed his eyes.

"See what Flamel surrounds himself with, young Newman, almost all his friends are brutes, himself not even an exception.

"Did you two know, that wherever that man goes, destruction or death usually follow, either by his hand, or by the hand of someone he angered. Why, I still remember how my apprenticeship to him ended, with me being appointed court magician after he brought provoked the Insect Elder.

"Oh, don't be surprised now, young Newman," Dee said patronizingly as he saw Josh's surprised face, he has had an apprentice almost every century, most of them ending up dead because they could not handle their aura being awakened, or crippled by a failed alchemy experiment."

"Don't act like you have no blood on your hands, Dee," Harry said, reminding Josh that he was still there.

"I would do no such thing, I did lead some of the hordes against him through the ages, but never did I cause as much death as he did."

Josh watched this exchange, trying to make his chest, where he was keeping the pages of the Codex, as small as possible without giving the pages away.

He was, well, even astonished fell short, really, that the man that chased him away from a stable life was now in front of him, discussing against the man that had stopped him from getting his first element down, about why, according to Dee, Nicholas' side was the wrong one to be on, and he could not help but see a good few points.

Nicholas picking up random kids and just awakening them because they fit the criteria of being gold or silver, or of being twins, only for the kids to either die because of the overload or in the days after it from a regime too intense for their aura to handle.

Then there was Dee, who had admitted to not being guiltless, and who had led legions in his chase for the alchemist and his wife, ending up destroying towns, countrysides, and the occasional hill during his quest.

It made Josh realize that there was actually a war going on in the shadows, and that he was going to be in the front line.

"I will let you two go now, tell Flamel to give up the pages of the Codex, and I may appeal to my master about letting you two live, you have one hour," And Dee left.

"Change of plans, I'll give you knowledge of transfiguration once we're out of here, back to the store, NOW"


	7. Chapter 7

***Ojai, California***

"Josh, I'll pass the knowledge as soon as we are safe, but now we have to run" Harry's words were engraved on his mind, having run from the other side of the plaza to the antique shop, he was winded, despite being able to run twice as much in little time. However, he could still hear what Dee had said about Flamel in their discussion. 'Flamel isn't innocent, how big is his body count exactly?'

Harry opened the door to the antique shop just in time to see Sophie and the Witch's aura fade, "Bad news Nick, Dee caught up, I say we have fifteen minutes tops before he starts sending golems after us."

"I will hold him off" the Witch of Endor said, "Even he cannot win against the wind goddess," If what Harry and Nick had said about her was true, then he was inclined to believe her, "Scathy dear, do make sure you don't take that long to call me."

"Yes grandma," The warrior looked more annoyed than anything, and Josh noticed that she was holding Sophie steady. He quickly relieved her of that, putting Sophie's arm around his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" He asked her quietly, wondering if perhaps he should have insisted that he go first, despite Harry's promise to pass on 'transfiguration' knowledge as soon as Dee was dealt with.

"Yes," She answered just as quietly, "I'm just dizzy, it was like being a hurricane, a breeze, and a current at the same time, but it was amazing all the same"

"Are you sure you want to carry on, we could just go back to Aunt Agnes," He knew the answer, how could he not when it was the same that he would have given were he in her position, but he had to make sure anyway.

"Yes, we can't just back out now, not when we've started already," She was right, neither of them would let themselves be discouraged by the lack of options, they never had, and they wouldn't start now.

"Did you know we're supposed to be the chosen ones?" She asked him, making him raise his eyebrows in surprise and confusion, "Yes, it's supposed to be that you and I have pure gold and silver auras, and that the guy who wrote the codex prophesied that we would either destroy the world or save it."

"The two that are one, the one that is all. There will come a time when the Book is taken,  
And the Queen's man is allied with the Crow, Then the Elder will step out of the Shadows, And the immortal must train the mortal. The two that are one must become the one that is all, One to save the world, And another to destroy it," Scathatch said to them, "You two are now in a war, I'm sorry for that."

"I will open the Lay Line in my shop, and collapse it as soon as you are through," Josh was not given any time to think on the prophesy before having to pay complete attention to the Witch, "Children, do not get separated from the alchemist, he will take you to your next teachers, and whatever you do, follow the orders of my granddaughter."

"Come on you two, you're jumping with me," Flamel guided them by the shoulders to a mirror that was shining brightly, a contrast to the darkness that prevailed in the store, "We wave to walk through the mirror, whatever you do, don't stop walking, Harry, Scathatch, we'll see you on the other side."

Josh was hesitant to follow through with the plan, but what choice did he have when he was not prepared to deal with the golems that would crash the store any second now, and so, with a very hesitant heart, he helped his sister through, and kept walking forward.

Harry stared as the twins and Nicholas crossed the mirror, "Do you need time to prepare?" he asked the Witch of Endor, as he refused to call her by whatever name she was going by now.

"No, but help would be appreciated by this blind woman nonetheless," She answered, but raising her hand before he could take out his wand, "I know you are a child of Merlin, the fool thought practicing in the dark ages was a good idea, so I want to see how much his gift has diminished"

"Yeah, I don't feel like showing off when there is an army a few minutes from here," He drew his wand and started to concentrate.

"You are a child of Merlin, you WILL show me how much of his power still runs within his children," The Witch started to glare, so he complied.

It was a difficult thing to transfigure silver, it being a noble metal meant that magic that was not put into it through direct means like runes or as a focus point mean that indirect magic performed on it would take twice as much effort to do it, and nearly three times the magic.

He was, however, Harry Potter, and as little as that carried here in America, it did mean that he was willing to go the extra mile just to make something properly, and a transfiguration-animation combination was no exception. His shoulder tense, he first made nearly a dozen mirrors into a blob of silver, copper, and glass that would not look out of place in a disco club. The second step was making the blob, of a volume as big as himself, into a shape that could fight, and that meant pulling all his knowledge of the human body and using it.

The end result was a knight with glass eyes, hey it had to go somewhere, didn't it, and a very menacing looking mace on one hand. He took a deep breath, rubbed his temples, and prepared himself for the most exhausting part of the process: Animation.

Normally this would be easy and only a little taxing, but that was when he was enchanting objects to operate themselves, like his sweeping brooms, and mops, and the brush he used to groom Itzmin, because that wolf could shed like wow.

This was complex animation, beyond 'do this in a cyclic way', this was animating something so that not only would it move as a normal human would, it would recognize threats to the place it was in and it would destroy them. It was going to attack everything that attacked the store.

The glass eyes lit up with a yellow glow, which turned green as it saw the Witch, Harry, and Scathy, and a low groan echoed through the shop.

"Impressive, that looks like one of the statues that he used for help in battle," The Witch waved towards the open Ley Line, "Now, off you go, make sure the children survive through the day."

Harry scowled, shoving a hand on his satchel and retrieving a pepper up potion, walking through the portal just a second after Scathy did.

The Witch of Endor, Zephania, was left with the warrior, "Step outside, they'll be coming soon." The statue groaned and complied, ripping the door from its hinges as it walked through it, so she sighed in exasperation. It was nothing but a brute with a mission.

Lets hope her new chosen is as good as she thinks, the Witch thought, she never was the same after her sister left.

* * *

***London, England***

Sirius Black could not be a happier man.

After his exoneration in 1994, thanks to his godson tipping the head of the DMLE on where the presumed dead Peter Pertigrew was, subsequent trial, and final incarceration of a lot of the Death Eaters that went free thanks to their clout, he had tried to go back to a normal life. He very well deserved it, didn't he?

It was not to be, thanks to the spin that the Daily Prophet had put to the story of his trial, he had become as big a celebrity as Harry had, being hailed as a vigilante, for not contacting the DMLE after finding that Petigrew was a Death Eater rather than the Order member everyone thought he was. The hype had died down by the time Harry and his two friends were due to return to Mexico, the hype about why the Boy-Who-Lived, now the Fullmetal-Survivor, silly name considered that only his arm was metal, was not in his birthplace of Britain and instead in what the purebloods considered a backwater colony of the Spanish.

This too had died out in time, replaced with news like the muggleborn rights act of 1995, Dumbledore stepping down from the title of Headmaster of Hogwarts in 1998, being replaced by Minerva McGonagal, the dementor massacre of 2000, where the dementors went mad and had to be put down with some experimental artifacts from the Department of Misteries, and the 2002 election of the youngest minister of magic, Lisa Turpin, to the rage of the remaining supremacists, she was a muggle born.

Since then, Sirius had gone back to the dating scene, trying his hand at the old tricks that made him one of the most wanted wizards at Hogwarts for dating, only to be disapointed as all the women he had considered were either gold diggers, already involved with someone, or just not interested.

This led him to the muggle world.

Apparently Fudge had kept his escape a secret from the muggle government, as not one person had recognized him, and he was glad for that, as it was the perfect chance to work his manly charms on people that did not know what he had been accused for.

With some help from his old friend Remus, who actually knew how to maneuver in the muggle world, he had found himself inside a club, at the ripe old age of thirty six, found himself dating a frustrated nurse that did not like the small amount of praise she got at the hospital she worked for. Three years later, and the two had exchanged vows in front of the priest, with Helen's family, and Sirius' closest friends there.

It was during the honeymoon that he had told Helen that he was in fact a wizard, and proceeded to show her some of his best skills, like the animagus transformation, and his charms work. The shock had driven the woman away for three days, during which he had done nothing stare at the window of their room.

Now the two were a happy couple, and thanks to his talent with relaxation charms Helen enjoyed her work like never before, and he got to smile every time he got home from his work as an auror, knowing that he could expect to be received by his beautiful wife.

Remus had married as well, to his niece Nymphadora, despite all the werewolf's attempts at discouraging her, and he was working at Hogwarts now, as a DADA teacher, as no one on the board of directors opposed to it anymore.

His phone rang, a strange occurrence at this time of the night, so more than a bit curious, he picked it up, "Hello, Sirius, yeah, I think I'm in France, so I may stop by tomorrow," the man blinked in confusion.

"Harry, is that you? Why are there sirens in the background?"

"No time to talk, listen, I'll stop by some time tomorrow, just whatever you do, don't tell anyone."

And the line went dead. "What in Merlin's name was that, kid?" he asked himself, but in the end only managed to shake his head.


	8. Day of the Dead special

**Special chapter-The call of the death**

**November the second, 2003**

* * *

Harry would admit that his desire to see his parents could be considered an obsession, but then, with no one but his friends knowing about it, and Sirius had encouraged him to search an answer, as long as he didn't put it above everything in his life, he had never searched counselling about it. But then, his family was always first, with work second, third the research, and then his hobbies.

After his stunt in Scotland having costed him his arm, he had used the library of Hogwarts more extensively, and asked Nicholas if transmutation could be combined with ritual magic, to receive a slap and a very sound no, so he had turned to many other sources.

His time in the faculty of engineering had allowed him to make a lot of travels to see the best of the best in different countries, the robotic engineers of Japan, the automotive engineers of Germany, industrial engineers from the US. Every travel was sponsored by a company that wanted a prospect like him working for them, but Harry used all of the travels to investigate the magical cultures of those places, searching for the answer to his ritual.

The end result would be seen today, after a lot of experimentation and mixture of rituals from around the world, he came up with something that would allow his parents to cross the veil for one whole day, but leave them unable to visit again, as it would drain the magic out of the place the ritual was performed in. It was better than the ritual that part had come from, which would drain the soul of the user at a slow pace until it could no longer hold on to the body.

The ritual consisted of five parts.

Part one was the base of it, the runes and surface to use them in. The ritual runes and symbols would be carved on an elder wood surface, in clusters of four, because of the relation of the number to death in Japanese culture. Now, rune clusters were unstable if not used in a cluster with a magically powerful number of their own language, so it had taken a lot of trail and error in simulations to get the thirteen clusters of four to work

The second part was the sacrifice, something required by every ritual to work. This could range from a small quantity of magic or blood, to a limb, to the life of a baby in the darkest of rituals, but his was modified from the original ghost creating ritual of the ancient Aztec people. A holy wood alter with seven tiers would hold a photo of the two (something with emotional value to the ritual caster), the next two levels would hold things of the defunct, the next tree would hold their favourite foods, books and clothes, and the last would be for candles and cempasuchil flowers, all acting as a beacon for their spirits.

The third part was intention. Harry was intending to only speak with his parents, he only wanted to get to know them. He was sure that with Sirius and Remus', the later being invited by Serius, wish to speak again with their old friends, their combined will would be enough to cross the veil, and reach the two, calling them over. However, a person wanting to call a spirit to gain information over someone, would not be able to call the spirit, as there was a fail-safe taken from the Germanic root of the ritual that would break the runes should ill intent be sensed.

The fourth part was the timing, the most important part of it. While Halloween could have worked, it would have worked best in Europe, as the veil was weakest there the 31 of October. However, in America, thanks to the Mesoamerican cultures, the veil was weakest during November second, and as he couldn't move things as big as the ritual site, Remus and Sirius would have to come here to speak with James and Lily.

Lastly was the location. He had chosen a forgotten patch of earth in the Yucatan jungle for it, where the magic in the air was just abundant enough to power their ghosts for a day, and a zone that could easily recuperate should the lack of magic kill some of the plant life. He had also chosen it because the plant life itself looked to thick for anything other than animals to have been there in decades, a requirement since he couldn't use repelling charms less they mess with the magic there

"Okay, are you two ready?" Harry nervously asked Sirius and Remus, the both of them looking how he felt.

It was night time, the moon, projecting little light on the clearing, was on its crescent phase, and the Earth had been constantly hit by a solar storm, overcharging some spells and making some others useless.

"As ready as we can be Harry, are you sure this will work?" Sirius answered, Remus looking at the ritual site in concern

"With the solar storm, no, but I can only try, so get on position, you two," He himself took to his knees in front of the alter, the two doing the same to form a triangle with the alter in the middle, "Sirius, you chant Dad's name, Lupin, you chant Mom's, don't stop until they are here, even if you feel drained."

"Got it pup," Sirius said, Remus nodding in agreement, "You heard Prongslet, let's do it Moony."

The two started chanting, leaving Harry to start by himself

"Oh, Parca, colector de almas, escucha a este pobre mortal, concedeme tan solo un día con las almas de los dos a los que rindo honor hoy. Concedeme a mi a los dos que me acompañan el placer de pasar un día más con los dos difuntos. Deja porfavor que cruzen del Más Alla a nuestro reino mortal, que no sufran mientras esten aqui, y que puedan hablar libremente con nosotros tres. Por favor acepta nuestra ofrenda de comida, de plantas y de energia a cambio del tiempo que pasen con nosotros, toma toda la vida que necesites de nuestra ofrenda, y no de nosotros. Toma energia de lo que nos rodea para traerlos, y si hace falta, donamos parte de la nuestra. Trae a James y Lily Potter a nuestro reino de existencia"

The food and flowers started to look rotten, yet no corresponding smell followed, the candles went out, and the grass around them turned brown.

The tree felt a drain on their magic cores, big enough to be noticeable, yet not large enough to leave them panting

"I told you he would manage it, he's our son," A faint voice, almost unnoticeable voice went to the clearing, only Remus heard it.

"Well, sorry for not sharing your endless optimism," This one was louder, all three heard it, but continued with their tasks, "I only want him to settle down, though if he could stop following Flamel, that would also be great"

"Come on, Lils, he's learning a lot, and he's helping people, not too bad" two figures started to form in front of the alter, distinctly the Potters, yet pale and, well, ghostly.

Harry looked amazed, struck and tired all at the same time, walking towards the two, "Mom, Dad?" A smile broke through his face, wide and childlike, "YES, I DID IT, I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID IT"

"JAMES, LILY!" Sirius and Remus both ran up the three of them, "PUP, YOU DID IT" Sirius lifted Harry up, laughing with joy, while Remus looked pale.

"Yes he did, and we're proud" Lily smiled at them, and Harry felt his heart go lightest than it ever had, "Now, Sirius, pleas whack my son for thinking that summoning the death with an experimental ritual was a good idea" The man complied, yet Harry still smiled, even harder as he felt their ghostly arms go around him. It was cold, yet never had he felt warmer.

"We have much to talk about, son," James said, and Harry could barely contain his happiness

* * *

**I did this chapter because the next one is shorter than usual, and because I wanted to give this Harry more depth to his relationship with Sirius.**

**The Day of the Death is a beautiful day in Mexico, so much sentiment put into remembering people that left the world for their next adventure, so much beauty in the celebrations, and a meaning that has lasted for more than a thousand years.**

**This chapter I dedicate to my grand father, may he rest in piece, I would love to be able to do what Harry did and tell him what went through my mind at his funeral.  
**

**Hector Garza, gone but nor forgotten by his family**


	9. Chapter 8

**Okay, so, there was a review by Joe Lawyer, which said that he did not know what mythology I am basing this story on. I decided to address that in case any others of you are confused about that.**

**During the first in the series of this fanfiction, called Harry Potter and the Mexican Mages, again, for those that don't know, I introduced many things from many different sources; I introduced Mayan mythology, elements from Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind (Great read, I totally recommend it), The basic alchemy, centred around potions, is one of such things. I also added things from Full Metal Alchemist, which many of you may recognize.**

**The most significant thing that I added there, is the fact that Nicholas Flamel, and the last stage of Harry's education, come from Michael Scott's Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. For those of you who have not read it, in this book many of the mythological figures around the world are members of an ancient civilization that was destroyed, while many legendary figures achieved immortality in one way or another. This story takes place during the week of the events of SINF, with Harry being forced to take part.**

**Once I finish this story, I may consider making a story more focused in The Name Of The Wind elements introduced to this universe, but that will have to wait.**

**Onwards, to France.**

* * *

***Auction house, France*Night of the second day***

Nicholo Machiavelli, a name known throughout the world as one of the biggest minds of the renaissance, author of many books that explained his point of view on how and empire should be run, on how a country could be successful.

Many though that he had died back in the fifteen hundreds, but the true could not be further away.

A Dark Elder had taken an interest in him, and had granted him immortality in exchange of service. Machiavelli being as smart as he was accepted the offer, and set off in what would start the fiercest rivalry between him and Perenelle Falmel.

Since then the two enemies had met many times, always resulting in what would be labelled a natural disaster, and a defeat that for some reason would never kill him. He had been closer to taking the Codex many more times than Dee, and his master was less forgiving, so he was much more efficient.

Of course, his master was also much more giving, and he rewarded Machiavelli plentifully for a job well done, whether in gold, or in knowledge, both of which he believed were the key to power even now, five hundred years after his original time.

He was head of the French police department, with a monetary worth that could rival that of even the most ancient of 'Pure Blooded' families with their gold.

And now, he was having a different kind of battle.

"This Kabuki mask will go to the highest bidder, I am sure that I do not need to repeat the rules but I will do it anyway; only cash is taken, do not offer more that what you have on your pocket, you have to raise your hands clearly for the offer to be made, and there can only be three seconds between every offer, we start this auction at three thousand"

He was the first to raise his number, and the surest one when it came to counter offers, unfortunately, his phone rang, "Yes, what do you need?" he said as he raised his hand again.

"Sir, a silent alarm was set off in the Sainte Chapelle, we already sent troops, but nothing shows that people broke in," The voice of a nameless officer greeted him.

"I will be there when I can" he answered, hanging up and raising even more cash.

His phone rang again "What is it now?"

"Do not talk to your master like that, Machiavelli, I have a task for you," he grimaced and stood up, hating the fact that he would have to let go of the mask. Oh well, it would be available again in some twenty odd years.

"What is it, Master?"

"Nicholas Flamel is in Paris, track him, kill him, bring me the people he's travelling with, and do NOT harm the children," the line went dead.

"So that's the disturbance of the first call, huh," He took a last look at the mask, "His reward better be worth it."

* * *

***Sainte Chapelle basement***

"Is everyone okay?" Nicholas asked out loud, hearing a loud crashing noise, "Whatever you do, don't touch anything, who knows what can happen if we do."

"Point me" Whispered Harry, his wand out rather than his macahuitl, "Good news is, we all made it out of Ojai in one piece, bad news is, we may have the police on our case, welcome to Paris everyone."

"What do you mean Paris?" asked Josh

"Exactly what it sounds like, the Ley Line brought us to Paris, a church if what little I can see proof."

"Alright, children, stay behind Scathatch, let's get out of here," The group followed Nicholas through the stairs and to the main zone of the cathedral.

"I'll call my godfather, he can get us a place to stay if we can't find the Count" He walked off. Fuck, it was going to be a pain in the wallet to pay for his call.

"_THIS IS THE POLICE, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR_"

"So, seems like someone found us," Scathatch commented, taking out her sword slowly.

"Don't do that, no need to give them a reason to arrest us," Nicholas looked around for a way out.

"I can't get us all out of here, Josh and Sophie, yes, but no way I can take you and Scatty as well, Nicholas," Harry looked around as well, "Fuck, and just a week ago we were having a perfectly normal life"

"Quit whining Harry, we got to move" Nicholas ran towards the door.

"_THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR_" The policeman shouted again.

"I could lose them" Harry said, "My bike is fast enough, I could give you the opening to sneak them off to Francis" Harry started to rummage through his bag, "Hide behind the altar, wait half an hour, and the leave, I'll meet you there."

"Are you sure? We can find a back entry, I'm sure there are many ways in and out," Nicholas frowned at him, "You could get killed Harry, we need need you with us"

"You'll get to use the back entries, and I know," The man took his motorbike out of the bag, mounting it, "You're more important right now, get the kids to Francis and Joan safe, I'll meet you there, now hide," Harry patted the man on the shoulder and started the bike.

"Good luck, Harry," Nicholas said, "Come on kids, you heard him, we have to hide," and he pulled them behind the altar, where they would wait.

Harry nodded to Scatty, who looked at him piercingly, "You better come back" she said, finally running to the back of the church.

"Depulso" With the wand spell the doors burst open, and Harry drove past the policemen.

Twenty minutes later, all was quiet.

"Come on you three, we got a friend to find"

"Will Harry be okay?" Sophie asked as she crawled from under the altar.

"He better be, he promised to teach me," Josh grumbled, worried for the man.

"He will be," Scathatch said, "He will be fine"

"Indeed, now come on, we got an appointment with the count"


	10. Chapter 10

***Unknown place*Unknown time***

Harry woke up naked.

This would be a very normal occurrence had he fallen asleep next to Nicte and she wanted to prank him, or do something less than honourable to him, but more than pleasurable.

Even though that was the first thing he noticed, it was not the one that tipped him off that something was not right. No, what tipped him off was his perfect vision, which was starting to deteriorate, and his lack of metal arm, which instead, as far as he could, was all flesh and bone, something he had not again felt since 1994.

That he had both, something was definitely wrong.

"Tell...me," he turned around at the whisper, only to find fog. He looked around, noticing that in every direction the fog was just as thick, he could not see more than a meter in any direction. The advantage was that he knew no one would see his dick. He wasn't ashamed, but it was uncomfortable to run around in nothing but his body hair, scarce as it was.

"Tell me why do you do it?" he turned around again, this time seeing a, was it a man? In a suit smoking a cigar, holding a bag of...gummy bears? "Why do you do it, Harry Potter?"

"Who are you?" Harry asked, covering his manhood, wishing he at least had a pair of boxers.

"I find you so incredibly frustrating, Harry Potter, how you continue to taunt me," The man, despite the very annoyed undertone of his voice, did not raise it, did not change from a monotonous tone.

"Who are you?" Harry tried again, now starting to get annoyed. This guy had stripped him and now accused him of taunting him, he was really brave, this guy.

"Would you prefer a more familiar face, Harry Potter, like the face your people paint me as," Harry blinked against his will, and when his eyes opened the man was gone, replaced by a Katrina, a skeleton dressed in a colourful dress, a green cloth across its shoulders and down its arms, a black charro sombrero completed the outfit.

"Are you really the Reaper?" Harry was not unnerved, not when he, as the now identified Death, said. Harry was used to taunting Death, he had done it three times by the age of fourteen, more times as he travelled with Nicholas.

"Yes, and I admit, I do like what you, you Mexicans did to my image," The Katrina said, its cigarette somehow staying stuck to its teeth, "It is better to look at than the plain, silent skeleton with a scythe, and a cloak, nothing on the Japanese, their representation of me is certainly my favourite."

"Why am I here?" Harry asked, not intimidated by the Katrina, not when he had made many himself with help of Nicte's family, and Miztli's.

"You are here because I am sick of a child of Fate taunting me," The Karina glared at him, its hollow eyes starting to shine a worrying red, "She may favour you, just as she favoured many others, and as she will favour many more to come, but you have spit in my face too many times, Harry Potter, your latest stunt with you jumping into a river is the last time you taunt me."

Harry blinked, "What?"

"The next time you ever come close to me, I will not let you go, Harry Potter, not without a fight," The Katrina explained, "My Sister may favour you, but even She has only a blurry sight of what is to come. You will fight for your live, and one mistake is all it will take for you to enter my realm."

"My friends would let me die," Harry said, knowing that Scathy would punch him back into life just so she could almost kill him for dying.

"It is of no importance, Harry Potter, the next time you come close to me, you will go to my realm, and I'll make sure not even that insult you created will allow you to them, unless you do me a favour," The Katrina offered, though Harry knew it was not doing it out of kindness, not when it had just threatened him to a literal eternal arrest.

It was a fucking deal with the devil, if he could put it like that. "What do you want?"

"The one that Fate sent you to fight is not dead, he is not in my realm, I do not like that, Harry Potter," It looked mad, Harry was glad it wasn't directed at him, "You may have completed Her Task by trapping him, but even though that bit of him will come to me eventually, the others will not."

"The other...You mean his soul is not complete?" Harry's eyes widened.

"He fractured it in an attempt to escape me, so you will be my agent, if, that is, if you want me to ignore the taunts you will no doubt continue to perform," The Katrina offered him its hand, "What do you say, Harry Potter, do you accept my deal?"

"How many, taunts, will you forgive from me if I accept?" If it was just one then it would not be worth, not when he was going to fight for his live until the twins fulfilled their own prophecy.

"I will ignore your transgressions, all of them, for the coming seven dusks, plus a further thirteen, if you decide to accept, if you bring me the remaining three pieces of him, I will even facilitate you the search."

Harry knew that there was only one choice to be made, and when Death was willing to make it as simple to him as possible then it was no wonder when he said with little hesitation but a lot of trepidation, "I'll do it," And he shook its hand.

A splitting pain accompanied their handshake, and Harry felt as if his head was going to split open, spilling his brains all over the floor. He was not alone in the agony, however, as a scream from a child came from his forehead, and a black fog flowed from his scar to the Katrina's open mouth.

Harry collapsed to his knees, panting harder than he ever had since his run from the Dursley.

"Listen well, Harry Potter, for I will only say this to you once: The biggest piece of them all sits in the home of the Great Dog star, hidden by the servant that hates the Dog even now. The two others still await the return of their creator, the first tries to corrupt my power, the Stone of the second Brother, in the house that Riddle was conceived in; search near the resting place where your travels took you by surprise, the other is near his prison, in the room where things hide in the seventh landing, where you most ask three times for it."

"That...that barely helps," Harry gasped, trying to raise to his feet.

"Put these candles on top of the Insults and I will purify them, I expect them a year from now, Harry Potter."

Harry's sight faded as his body did. He was waking up.

"Was that to your satisfaction, Sister?" The Katrina spoke, slowly transforming back to it's suited man appearance.

"You should not have mentioned me," A ball of light spoke to him, "My servants were to tell him of me"

"Would you prefer he insult you like he did me?" Death asked.

"He did not insult you knowingly, my dear Brother," Fate spoke.

"But he did it anyway," death said as he held out the bag of gummy bears, the ball of light dipping into it, "He will complete your task."

"As he would have done eventually anyway," Fate tinted orange as she left the bag, and it looked brighter, "Really, he's not the only one that has slipped through your fingers"

"Those humans are getting arrogant, they taunt me on a day to day basis," Death complained, "It is annoying."

"It is natural, my Brother, now come, we have to meet up with the others," Death shook his head as he followed Fate, knowing it was pointless to argue with it, as pointless as gambling anything with Luck, or running from him.

* * *

***Streets of Paris***

Nicholas Flamel creeped around the alleys of Paris, effortlessly sneaking around the police patrols that Machiavelli had dispatched.

He was thinking about his childhood, when he was young and naïve, before he had found the love of his life, before he had discovered alchemy, before he had taken the trip that would change, and lengthen, his life for ever.

A poor child from Paris in the fourteen hundreds, Nicholas had struggled to rise up, even as his magical powers matured. That was until he had found his talent for alchemy.

His skill with the liquid form of alchemy had given him fame with the French, and people far and wide would travel to his house to receive medicine from him. That was how he had met Perenelle. The woman that would become his love had come to him asking about the solution to the plight of one of her siblings, and he had gone with her. Three years later they would get married.

Nicholas looked at the inn he had opened with Perenelle, where he had trained his first five apprentices. Around here he had hidden one of the four swords of power, Durandal, the sword of fire, the sword of warriors, the sword of cowards. He did not understand the last tittle, after all, in a war, what was the difference between life and death other than fear.

He pushed a hidden panel, opening the small panel where the sword was hidden. He was happy that after all this years, even as he had faded from hero to legend, and from legend to myth, he was still remembered, and his property was still respected.

He ignored the influx of military knowledge that invaded his head, just as he had done time after time, whenever he grabbed the sword. Josh would be the next wielder of Durandal, just as Sophie would become the wielder of Caliborn if he knew where it was.

Oh, if only he had his dear Perenelle with him

***Alcatraz Island*Off the coast of San Francisco***

"Did you call for me?" A ghost rose in front of Perenelle.

She couldn't believe how long it had taken her to get in contact with the spirits of the Island, perhaps it was because of the Sphinx never really leaving the wing she was in, or perhaps it was because she was feeling the effects of not taking the Elixir of Life even though it was a day overdue.

"Who are you?" she asked the ghost

"My name is Juan Manuel de Ayala, who would you be?"

"Perenelle Flamel, you have to help me get out," She asked of the ghost.

"Why should I, is a prison not the Purpose they gave to this my Island?"

"What?"

"I named this my Island Alcatraz, in honour of the birds that called the Island their home, but even then, I insisted to the Crown that they should not use the Island, that the Natives believed it to be cursed. They knew to listen to such a thing, even if they were still hunting witches at the time, they knew the power of a curse. Then after the Mestizos ran my people out of New Spain, you Americans came and stole the land I helped claim."

"I'm not American, I'm French, and I need your help, if I don't get out, mankind will be reduced to slavery, or even extinction," She pleaded with the ghost.

"And how do you suggest I do that, Frenchwoman?" the ghost asked her, "I've noticed the creatures that the English has been bringing, even if you were to escape the Sphinx, how do you plan on going through all others?"

"I'll figure something out, just do a racket as loud and far as you can" The spirit nodded and left the cell, she knew it would still be a while before she could make her move, so she would start planning


	11. Chapter 11

***Paris*Saint-Germain household*Dawn of the second of June***

Josh Newman awoke with a headache, only to have a vial almost shoved into his mouth by his sister, who he was sure was not there when he had agreed to Harry dumping all of his skill on Transfiguration on his head. An image of a rock turning into a raging chihuahua was both amusing and confusing as it ran through his head.

"Don't you dare accept his dump again," Sophie muttered to him as he carefully watched the vial, "It's a headache relief potion, at least that's what Potter said," She wasn't very inclined to believe him when it was him that caused Josh to pass out from pain alone.

"But it worked," Josh said, pausing to take a drink of the potion, gagging as the slimy concoction slid down his throat, "I feel like I could turn anything on this room to something completely different, I could be laying on a floor of mattresses."

To prove his point Josh focused on the curtains, feeding them his magic and picturing them turning into cats. It did not turn out as well as he had hoped. Oh, the cats were both tabbies, just as he had willed them to be, but that was were it ended. They had retained the soft red of the drapes and their eyes looked way more white than those of any other cat, but the thing was, Josh actually had the talent for transfiguration now.

But it was just that, a talent.

"I think I could use some practice," Josh scratched the back of his head, that he had been successful enough on his transfiguration that he had not left some holes on the tails of the cats, which would have been really gross for both of them.

Harry would latter explain to him, when the prophesy was over, that all the memories had not really given Josh skill, and that he knew that at best Josh would only be able to do half transfigurations like this one until he got the hang of not controlling how much power went to the transfiguration, but the mental discipline needed to correctly turn a material to another thing entirely. It was the same with foci inclinations. If your focus is inclined to defensive magic, you have an easier time to learn such magic, but it doesn't come naturally to you, you can't just say 'shield' and expect a shield to arise.

Josh had the advantage that his mind had assimilated the most prominent memories of the long stream that Harry had dumped on him, that mean that on very deep and twisted level, Josh had, indirectly, already performed complex transfiguration, which was why he had even managed to turn the curtains into something not quite a cat at all.

Harry's method had been radically different to the method that most immortals used to transfer skills. The method elders and immortals alike used was one that connected the mind of the two involved and then made copies of all the skills involved. Sophie had gotten all the skills of the Witch of Endor because their minds had been linked, something that made the transfer go way smother and, compared to the method Harry used, painless.

Harry had used a direct transfer of memories without first creating a link between their minds, so he could not regulate the speed at which the memories transferred other than by setting a speed to how he moved his arm. The speed at which memories moved was way faster, and since the only possible way of doing it was by dumping them directly into the frontal lobe, that meant a pain as the memory place that was unused until then was filled too fast for the brain to process properly without hours of sleep.

The reason Harry had not used the method used by every other immortal was that a requirement for it was the ability of legilimancy, the mind art of attack, to put it as a direct opposite to occlumency, to establish the link between the minds through which the skills would flow. Harry had never practiced legilimancy before, only occlumency, as it was the latter that was needed for advancing in the books that Nicholas had sent him almost twenty years ago.

"He didn't even do a good job," Sophie sighed at Josh's look, "He said you would be able to do it right."

"No, he said I would be able to do it," Josh slowly stood up with her help, "Not that I would be able to do it right away," Josh stared at her, knowing that she would continue to argue, "Just let it go, it's not like I wasn't willing to go through that."

Josh could see that his sister was more than unwilling to drop the subject, but he knew that she knew that of the two of them he was the more stubborn, and therefore he would keep silent for longer than she could keep on insisting that Harry shouldn't have done that and that Josh should have waited for someone to give him the skill.

So they walked down the stairs, where breakfast was already waiting for them, "Hello children," Joan greeted them, I hope that Harry's transfer didn't leave too many after effects."

Sophie looked like she was ready to say something about Harry, which would no doubt be less than flattering, but Harry chose that moment to enter the room, "He'll be having my memories as dreams for a couple of days, but I'm sure the headache is already gone," The man pulled a chair for him and motioned the teens to do the same, "Have you tried out your new knowledge?"

"Yes, I tried to turn the curtains into cats, but, well, they didn't look right," They only physically looked like cats, and even that was an exaggeration.

Joan looked murderous at someone messing with her decor, even if she wasn't particularly fond of the one curtains on the guest room, but before she could tear into the sheepish teen Harry interrupted again, "I'll turn them back to normal in a while, but after that I'm gonna have to leave for an hour or two, I want to rally some support for the final battle, wherever the hell it happens."

"What do you mean, 'Final battle'?" Sophie asked, an afraid tone to her voice.

"We won't be able to outrun the Dark Elders forever," It was Joan that answered, "Eventually it will come to a head to head confrontation between us and them."

"Which is why I'll be talking with a family of wizards here," Harry continued, "Hopefully my name still carries some weight with the European community," he muttered the last part, but it was loud enough for the children to hear.

"What do you mean? Are you royalty or something?" Josh asked, looking divided between screaming at him for not telling them and asking if he would be able to get to high places if he said he was a friend of Harry.

"Or something," Harry took a bite of the breakfast Joan had cooked, an spinach omelet, "The western Europeans, more Britain than elsewhere, worshiped me as a hero because a Dark Lord tried to kill me when I was a baby and his curse rebounded from me and killed him instead."

He would not go into detail about the pieces of Necromancy that kept said dark lord alive between that night almost thirty years ago and the night where Harry had lost his arm to imprison him in a stone knight at Hogwarts, that would take the most part of breakfast, if not longer, and would put him on an even tighter schedule than the one he already had. He doubted they would be on France longer than one day, possibly less than that.

"So because the dark lord was a threat to peace in Europe and threatened to destroy the Statute of Secrecy, the global wizrding law that states that Wizards should stay hidden from the Mundanes, I was hailed as the one that saved the status quo and my name carried weight even fourteen years after it happened."

"So you're a celebrity?" Sophie asked, more than a bit skeptical.

"In Europe I was, at least I still was fifteen years ago," Harry looked thoughtful, "In Asia the people had way more heroes to worship, since it's an unstable place, I think the ICW has to intervene with them way more often than it does with the rest of the world, and in America and the Pacific people were indifference to the European communities, since, well, lets just say that colonies turned way worse on the magical side."

The twins looked ready to ask way more questions, but the timely arrival of Nicholas back from wherever it was he had gone off to interrupted them before they could even start their barrage. Harry was incredibly thankful for that, he wasn't sure if he wanted to explain why it was that Europeans rarely ever set a foot on the US magical community, or on Australia.

"Hello, Josh, Sophie, I hope that both of you are alright?" Nicholas looked tired, not only from not having slept more than three hours, but because of the age that was slowly creeping up on him, it would only be a matter of time for his body to degenerate to that of an eighty year old man, but for now he still looked like a fit man on his fifties, at least, his body did. The eyes, after all, are the windows to soul.

"Well enough," Josh said.

"Good, today will be perhaps even more trying than yesterday, and Josh, I have something for you, I'll give it to you later," Nicholas placated, "But first there are things to be done."

"Yep, Sophie, you'll be learning fire magic from the master," Francis dropped on a chair after kissing his wife.

"And Josh, I am afraid you will once again have to wait for your next magic," Nicholas halted Josh before he could start, "I do not know how your psyche would react to having to assimilate two sets of skills in one day, so please don't argue."

The teen just scowled, not really understanding why he had to wait so long when it had already been said that they would probably be moving again within the day. Why wait when he could be taught alongside his sister? He could handle it, it couldn't be worse than what Harry had done to him, or at the very least he didn't think it would be as painful as what Harry had done to him.

He didn't want to experience that again.

"Fine, but can I at least practice during the day?" Josh asked, not at all happy with once again being left behind in favor of his sister.

"If Nick, Cat or Joan are with you, then there's no problem, I think," Harry nodded at him, "But try not to doo too much, transfiguration is one of the most intensive wizarding arts," Harry finished his breakfast and stood up, "But that is for them to decide and for you to worry about, I'll be back in two or three hours everyone, try to stay low key, teens, and for god's sake, listen to Nick."

He then kissed Scathatch on the cheek, shook the hands of every other adult, and patted the kids on the head, and left through the front door with a swirl of cloth. Nick assumed that Harry had put on the invisibility cloak that had captured the attention of the alchemist many times in the past. He was not sure if Harry knew it, but that cloak was submerged in a power that felt like nothing other than dead, which made Nicholas assume that it was one of the three deathly hollows that Death had bestowed upon mankind centuries ago, almost as many as he had been alive.

He really hoped that Harry would find the support he went out to get, they would need all the help they could get when the Dark Elders caught up to them.

* * *

***Magical district of Paris***

The magical district of Paris was, like every single other such district in the world, hidden from the mundane world by a magical barrier that made the entrance appear like nothing other than ordinary for the mundanes. Unlike the Mayan district which was hidden by and aqueduct and the British one which was hidden by a pub, the Parisian district was hidden behind a condemned building that was supposed to be remodeled, but because of a lack of founding wouldn't get around to doing it for quite a while, and to keep the charade going, every once in a while there would be a news article on the newspaper about a new deadline to the reconstruction.

Passing through the barrier and applying the translation charm to himself, a handy thing that he used as convenience more than anything else since he knew enough French to not seem like an ignorant Brit tourist, but there was not really a reason to antagonize the locals by making them correct his every third word, and he really wanted to rally support.

The Magical District had a very big advantage over the British one in that it had been almost destroyed during the second world war, which had allowed the French wizards to rebuild and expand after the forces of Grindewald were driven away by the allies. This meant that while Diagon Alley had a Victorian look to its architecture, the Rue de la Magie had a more modernist architecture to it, with the odd baroque building thrown in, the best example being the local branch of the Gringots bank.

Harry knew from his several contacts with the French wizarding world that one of the ruling families was the Delacour, the same family that had produced one of his rivals to the tri-wizard tournament all those years ago, and while they hadn't had any contact since then, he was sure that with enough name throwing he could get the patriarch to see him.

The reason he was on the magical district was because all the ruling families had their residence there, and it would only take him a few questions to find out which of the residences was the one the Delacours used. He used the knocker to announce his presence and threw up the strongest occlumency shields. The Delacour women, after all, were all of veela origin, and he was not keen on testing his mental fortitude against three part temptresses, even if he was deeply in love with his wife.

The answer to the door came in the form of a man that looked to be on his late thirties, though since he was talking about a magical, it was probably around the early seventies, perhaps even a few years older.

"Mister Delcour, I presume," Harry held out his hand for a handshake, and held it there for a while.

"You presume correctly," the man accepted the handshake and asked, "And who would you be?"

"Harry Potter at your service, Mister Delacour," That resulted in a widening of the eyes, but aside from that, there was nothing that gave away the fact that Harry was still a celebrity, "And I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time."

This got a raised eyebrow, "And why should I give you time, Mister Potter? I am a very busy man, and you are interrupting what little I still have of free time," This made Harry realize that his name did not carry the same weight it once did, which was just as well, he really didn't want it to be the defining factor of the discussion.

"Because, Mister Delacour, if you don't, the future of mankind will be forfeit, and the wizards will suffer."

This was enough to convince the man, apparently, as he ushered Harry into the building and then to the meeting room on the first floor. The silence rulled the room as Mister Delacour called a houself to bring them cofffee, and when it came, itwas Delacour that broke the silence.

"So, tell me, Mister Potter, what is this danger that you spoke about?" Harry took a sip, before putting down the coffee and mixing it with offered cream an sugar.

"Do you know of the Elders, Mister Delacour?" Harry said as he slowly mixed his cup/

"I do not believe you speak about the elders of the ICW," said Delacour as he moved his cup to his mouth.

"No, I wouldn't be concerned if it was the elders of the ICW, no, I mean a species that is older and more powerful than humans," Harry took a sip himself before continuing, "They divided themselves on the wake of human creation, some of them, those now referred to as the Dark Elders, wanted to remain as rulers of the world, and to enslave all species that were not them. The other group, the Light elders, just to make them the antithesis to the Dark Elders, that knew that mankind was to become the next rulers of Earth.

"There was a rebellion, led by the Light Elders, and fought by the humans, that resulted in the destruction of Danu Talis, the city commonly referred to as Atlantis, and the start of the era of mankind, with the help of the Light Elders and the Next Generation, as the first of the Species born to after the fall are named.

"But the Dark Elders did not perish with the town, and they have been lurking in the shadows, picking humans that catch their interests and granting them immortality at the price of eternal service. The Dark ones have begun to make their move, one of their servants, the English John Dee attacked me, and Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel."

"I assume that you want me to request the French Wizarding government to get involved on this fight."

Harry made a show of taking out his wallet and putting a card on the tea table between them, on the side where Harry had written a lot of runes, "I use this as a mean of communication with my friends, similar to instant messaging on the mundane side, I will send you the location of the last battle, whether you decide to help or not, that is on you, Mister Delacour, but know that against this enemy, we need all the help we can get."

"I hope that you realize that this is a very hard thing you're trying to sell, mister Potter," Delacour said.

"I realize that, and if I were on your position, I wouldn't believe it either, hell, I didn't believe it until the Flames introduced me to one of the Next Generation, The Shadow, and not a day ago I was with Hecate of the Three Faces and the Witch of Endor," Harry downed his coffee, looking at the small residue of grains that always stayed behind on coffee presses.

"But I also realize that the Statute won't be able to stand if we don't get enough help to keep the battle site small, and even then, mundanes have advanced so much on the last twenty years that I wouldn't be surprised if the battle got on the internet, that's one of their inventions, it allows instant access to a lot of information, and the Statute would be destroyed,"

And when Harry finished there was silence.

Perhaps it was a mistake, he thought, to come out as strongly as he did, but what he said was true, he wasn't just gathering allies to get a better chance at winning the final battle, but also to somehow keep the Statute of Secrecy intact. He was no fool, almost all religions would declare the heathens as soon as the secret of magic came out, calling them demon worshipers, making mobs and hunts.

But there were also people out there that would be way more accepting of magic, most, if not all children would be amazed at the fact that magic did exist, and that magical creatures weren't just legends, but the problem were the adults, those already set in their ideology.

Harry excused himself, and Delacour led him out of the house.

If magic were exposed, it would have massive consequences, but it could also be the last step that mankind needed to reach its pinnacle. He really didn't know if it would be damnation or salvation that would welcome magicals if the secret got out, so he was going to do his best for it not to come out until he knew that they were ready for it.

* * *

**I really hesitated on writing the part with Delacour here, mostly because of how much it gives away regarding the way this story is going to go, but if I didn't write it would just be Harry running havoc on a book where he doesn't belong, and there are enough stories, and we all have one of those we like, with one character just messing around with the plot of another series/book/movie/whatever without it having big changes that would fit with his/her/its personality.**

**I've made Harry into a man that knows when to challenge things, and not someone who takes them as they come or works his best to change the path before him, that's why he challenged Dead while accepting the fact that he couldn't regrow his arm, and it is the same reason that he is not going to lay down and take the punch of the Statute being in peril without him working to stop it, because he has the historic evidence that it works, and this story is on 2010, which, well, the campaign on the middle east still runs rampant, think of what a group like Al Qaeda or ISIS would do to Wizards.**


End file.
